ObjectiveTo explore the postoperative characteristics and management experience of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) undergoing cardiac and vascular surgery. MethodsFrom December 7, 2022 to January 5, 2023, the patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to Cardiovascular Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University and underwent cardiac and vascular surgery were selected. The clinical history, surgical information, postoperative recovery process and treatment plan were analyzed retrospectively. ResultsThere were 18 patients in this group, including 11 (61.1%) males and 7 (38.9%) females, with an average age of 58.1±10.9 years. There were 7 patients of hypertension, 5 patients of diabetes, 3 patients of respiratory diseases, and 2 patient of chronic renal insufficiency. There were 5 (27.8%) patients receiving emergency operations and 13 (72.2%) elective operations. All the 18 patients underwent cardiac and vascular surgery in the period of COVID-19, and the time between the last positive nucleic acid test and the surgery was 1.50 (1.00, 6.25) days. There were 8 patients of pulmonary imaging changes, including 3 patients with chest patch shadow, 3 patients with thickened and disordered lung markings, and 2 patients with exudative changes before operation. Antiviral therapy was not adopted in all patients before operation. Three patients were complicated with viral pneumonia after operation, including 2 patients with high risk factors before operation, who developed into severe pneumonia after operation, and underwent tracheotomy. One patient with thrombus recovered after anticoagulation treatment. Another patient of mild pneumonia recovered after antiviral treatment. The other 15 patients recovered well without major complications. There was no operation-related death in the whole group. One patient died after surgery, with a mortality rate of 5.6%. Conclusion Patients with COVID-19 are at high risk of cardiac and vascular surgery, and patients with high-risk factors may rapidly progress to severe pneumonia. Patients with preoperative lung imaging changes or other basic visceral diseases should consider delaying the operation. Early antiviral combined with immunomodulation treatment for emergency surgery patients may help improve the prognosis.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics, prognosis and predisposing factors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated pulmonary mucormycosis (CAPM), so as to improve people's understanding of the disease.MethodsFrom from September 1, 2021 to July 31, 2024, 11 patients with CAPM who were hospitalized in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University were retrospectively collected, and 22 patients with non-CAPM were included after matching according to the ratio of 1:2. The clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, imaging features, tracheoscopy, treatment and prognosis of the two groups were analyzed. ResultsThe average age of patients in CAPM group was 59.5 ± 10.6 years, with 81.8% of males; diabetes mellitus (90.9%) was the most common complication. In CAPM group, the median time after the occurrence of mucor after COVID-19 was 13.0 (10.0, 24.0) days. The utilization rate of glucocorticoids in the CAPM group was 63.6% (7/11), which was significantly higher than that in non-CAPM group [13.6% (3/22)], and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (P=0.006). The C-reactive protein level in CAPM group was significantly higher at 93.90 (75.00, 129.00) mg/L than that in non-CAPM group at 26.10 (4.83, 114.03) mg/L, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.040). The CD4+T lymphocyte counts and B lymphocyte counts in CAPM group were 223.00 (66.75, 336.75)/μL and 32.00 (21.75, 55.25)/μL, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the non-CAPM group 394.00 (206.00, 610.00)/μL and 112.50 (56.00, 159.25)/μL, with statistical differences between the groups (P=0.040, P=0.040). In terms of imaging, the main imaging findings were the involvement of multiple lobes in both groups. 63.6% (7/11) of patients with pulmonary aspergillosis in CAPM group were significantly higher than those(4/22, 18.2%) in non-CAPM group (P=0.017). The incidence of dyspnea in CAPM group was significantly higher than that in non-CAPM group (90.9% vs. 50.0%, 0.027%).ConclusionThe proportion of glucocorticoid use and the proportion of pulmonary aspergillosis in CAPM group are significantly higher, and they are in a more serious state of immunosuppression. Once combined with pulmonary aspergillus , the mortality rate is higher.
Objective To investigate the problems and needs of teachers and international bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBBS) students in the online clerkship since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019. Methods In May 2020, questionnaires, telephone communication and face-to-face interviews were conducted among 85 international MBBS students and clinical teachers of 10 related departments in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Teachers and students perceptions towards online clerkship were collected from five aspects including department orientation, attendance, teaching plan, assignment & assessment, and overall evaluation. Results Four departments and 43 students (50.6%) thought that online clerkship increased time input, while 3 departments thought that students’ enthusiasm decreased significantly compared to ordinary clerkship. Six departments reported that students’ compliance was poor; 58 students (68.2%) reported that they could not experience the real clinical environment. All departments reported difficulties in completing procedures and skills, and believed the teaching objectives were only partially achieved; 78 students (91.8%) thought that the effect of online clerkship met with their expectations; 16 students (18.8%) were very satisfied, and 59 students (69.4%) were satisfied. The majority of students believed that the advantages of online clerkship were that they had more time to prepare for their licensing examination [66 students (77.6%)] and could ask questions online at any time [48 students (56.5%)]. Conclusions There are both pros and cons in the online clerkship. It has put forward higher requirements for the efficiency and accuracy of English communication between teachers and students, and for the self-restraint and discipline of students. Under the current global epidemic situation, we should make full use of the information technology to constantly strengthen the practical education.
Objective To explore the thromboembolic events and mortality in patients with different types of severe pneumonia, and to analyze the related high-risk factors. Methods A total of 161 severe pneumonia patients who admitted in intensive care unit from January 2018 to February 2023 were included in the study. The patients were divided into a COVID-19 group (n=88) and a community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) group (n=73) according to the type of pneumonia, and divided into a thrombosis group and a non-thrombosis group according to the occurrence of thrombosis. The patients were followed-up until discharge or in-hospital death, registering the occurrence of thrombotic events. Results During the in-hospital stay, 32.9% of CAP and 36.4% of COVID-19 patients experienced thrombotic events (P>0.05). In CAP group all the events (including 24 paitents) were venous thromboses, while in COVID-19 group 31 patients were venous and 3 were arterial thromboses (2 were cerebral infarction, and 1 with myocardial infarction). There were statistically significant difference in gender, age, venous thromboembolism score (VTE score), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and procalcitonin (PCT) between the TE group and the Non-TE group. Logistic regression analysis showed that thrombotic events was associated with sex, age and APTT; gender (female: OR=2.47, 95%CI 1.13 - 5.39, P<0.05) and age (OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.01 - 1.07, P<0.05) were positively associated with thrombotic events. During the in-hospital follow-up, 44.3% of CAP patients and 42.5% of COVID-19 patients died (P>0.05). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that APACHEⅡ score was more accurate in predicting mortality of severe pneumonia, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.77 (95%CI 0.70 - 0.84, sensitivity 74.3%, specificity 68.1%), the AUC of the VTE score was 0.61 (95%CI 0.53 - 0.70, Sensitivity 31.4%, specificity 81.7%); the AUC of the creatinine was 0.64 (95%CI 0.56 - 0.73, sensitivity 72.9%, specificity 51.2%). While the Kappa value for kidney disease was 0.409 (P<0.05) presenting moderate consistency. Conclusions The incidence of thromboembolic events and mortality are high in patients with different types of severe pneumonia. Thrombophilia was associated with sex, age, and APTT. APACHEⅡ score, VTE score, and creatinine value were independent risk factors for predicting death from severe pneumonia.
From December 2022 to January 2023, 4 lung transplant recipients (3 males and 1 female, aged 52-60 years, all received transplantation less than 1 year) were hospitalized in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University due to COVID-19 after surgery. The clinical manifestations were mostly characterized by elevated body temperature accompanied by shortness of breath, and indicators such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, and oxygenation index could reflect the severity of the condition. The therapy was timely adjusted to immunosuppressive drugs, upgraded oxygen therapy, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal therapy, prone ventilation, general treatment, and anticoagulant therapy, depending on the situation. Finally, 3 patients were cured and discharged from hospital, and 1 died.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has had a serious impact in the world. In the absence of vaccines and therapeutic drugs, disinfection has become an important technical means to block the spread of the virus. By analyzing the characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), we studied a series of disinfection technologies for COVID-19. During the outbreak of COVID-19, Jinan Second Center for Disease Control and Prevention disinfected the houses of the cases to be investigated in a community. The effectiveness of the disinfection technology was verified through the process of disinfection preparation, sampling before disinfection, field disinfection, sampling after disinfection and evaluation of disinfection effect. Compared the data before and after disinfection, the killing rate of the total bacterial colonies in the air and on the surface of the object was more than or equal to 90%, and no SARS-CoV-2 was detected after disinfection. The results show that the disinfection effect of the disinfection technology meets the standard. Finally, through the analysis of the wrong way of disinfection and the harm of over disinfection, the importance of scientific disinfection and precise disinfection are emphasized, and the research has a good guiding value for prevention and control of the epidemic.
ObjectiveTo provide recommendations for the management of intensive care unit patients without novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsWe set up a focus group urgently and identified five key clinical issues through discussion. Total 23 databases or websites including PubMed, National Guideline Clearing-House, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and so on were searched from construction of the library until February 28, 2020. After group discussion and collecting information, we used GRADE system to classify the evidence and give recommendations. Then we apply the recommendations to manage pediatric intensive care unit in the department of critical care medicine in our hospital. ResultsWe searched 13 321 articles and finally identified 21 liteteratures. We discussed twice, and five recommendations were proposed: (1) Patients should wear medical surgical masks; (2) Family members are not allowed to visit the ward and video visitation are used; (3) It doesn’t need to increase the frequency of environmental disinfection; (4) We should provide proper health education about the disease to non-medical staff (workers, cleaners); (5) Medical staff do not need wear protective clothing. We used these recommendations in intensive care unit management for 35 days and there was no novel coronavirus infection in patients, medical staff or non-medical staff. ConclusionThe use of evidence-based medicine for emergency recommendation is helpful for the scientific and efficient management of wards, and is also suitable for the management of general intensive care units in emergent public health events.
Since the emergence of novel coronavirus pneumonia in late 2019, it has quickly spread to many countries and regions around the world, causing a significant impact on human beings and society, posing a great threat to the global public health system. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was highly infectious, and some complications emerged rapidly in some patients, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multiple organ failure. The virus could trigger a series of immune responses, which might lead to excessive immune activation, thereby bringing about the immune system imbalance of the body. Up to now, there was no specific antiviral drug, and we conjectured that immunomodulatory therapy might play an essential part in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as adjuvant therapy. Therefore, we analyzed the possible mechanism of immune imbalance caused by the new coronavirus, and summarized the immunotherapeutic means of COVID-19 based on the mechanisms, to provide some reference for follow-up research and clinical prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
When a clustered coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic occurs, how to prevent and control hospital infection is a challenge faced by each medical institution. Under the normalization situation, building an effective prevention and control system is the premise and foundation for medical institutions to effectively prevent and control infection when dealing with clustered epidemics. According to the principles of control theory, medical institutions should quickly switch to an emergency state, and effectively deal with the external and internal infection risks brought by clustered epidemics by strengthening source control measures, engineering control measures, management control measures and personal protection measures. This article summarizes the experience of handling clustered outbreaks in medical institutions in the prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019, and aims to provide a reference for medical institutions to take effective prevention and control measures when dealing with clustered outbreaks.
Cardiogenic shock (CS) describes a physiological state of end-organ hypoperfusion characterized by reduced cardiac output in the presence of adequate intravascular volume. Mortality still remains exceptionally high. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) has become the preferred device for short-term hemodynamic support in patients with CS. ECMO provides the highest cardiac output, complete cardiopulmonary support. In addition, the device has portable characteristics, more familiar to medical personnel. VA ECMO provides cardiopulmonary support for patients in profound CS as a bridge to myocardial recovery. This review provides an overview of VA ECMO in salvage of CS, emphasizing the indications, management and further direction.
